The Russellville School Board is scheduled to consider an appeal to the firing of Russellville High School cross country coach Jerry Thompson Wednesday afternoon — a meeting Thompson’s lawyer said was requested to be open to the public.

Little Rock-based attorney Greg Alagood said Thompson, who served with the school district for over 30 years before receiving a recommendation to terminate his contract this fall, made the request to make the hearing with the school board open to the public.

Alagood said because Thompson declined to terminate his contract, he has since been suspended with pay until the school board hearing to consider his appeal. Alagood said Thompson received the recommendation in late September.

A Facebook page intitled “Thanks Coach Jerry Thompson,” which was created around the time of the coach’s recommended termination, had collected over 850 “likes” by Friday and was filled with comments from supporters, over 60 of whom who expressed plans to attend the hearing Wednesday.

Alagood declined to comment on allegations made leading to Thompson’s recommended termination. School officials also declined comment, stating they’re not allowed to discuss personnel matters.

Russellville School Board President Morgan Barrett said earlier in the week he knew there was a meeting called, but to maintain objectivity, he wasn’t given any information on what or who would be discussed.

“I really don’t know,” he said. “The employee matters, they’re supposed to be confidential and the school board doesn’t get involved in the day-to-day decisions related to employees or employee matters, and the only time we have a school board get involved is when an employee appeals a decision to the school board, and we don’t find out until the meeting.”

The hearing will be held at the Russellville administration office at 3 p.m. Wednesday.